Yadav said the state intends to “gift” residents several new infrastructure projects this month. “On December 21, we will gift Bhopal residents the Metro train and several other development initiatives. On December 25, we will inaugurate industrial projects worth ₹2 lakh crore on the occasion of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth centenary,” he told reporters. However, he confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the Metro launch has not yet been finalised.
The announcement follows the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) granting approval to the priority corridor of the Bhopal Metro’s Orange Line. The inspection team led by Commissioner Neelabh Sengupta examined depots, tracks and rolling stock between November 12 and 15, clearing the route after verifying all core safety parameters. Officials said minor pending works at some stations would not delay the launch.
The 6.22-km priority corridor includes eight stations: Subhash Nagar, Kendriya School, DB Mall, MP Nagar, Rani Kamalapati, DRM Tiraha, Alkapuri and AIIMS. Trial runs on the corridor have reached speeds between 30 km/h and 80 km/h, with higher speeds tested on isolated sections.
Metro fares have been decided, and passengers will be allowed free travel for the first seven days. Over the next three months, discounted fares of 75%, 50% and 25% will apply. After that, fares will range from ₹20 to a maximum of ₹80, in line with the Indore Metro model.
The full 16-km Orange Line from AIIMS to Karond is expected to be completed within two to three years. Initially, a manual ticketing system will be used at stations due to delays in the automatic fare collection contract with Turkish firm Asis Guard.
